Army gets first Sikh enlisted soldier in 30 years
The Associated Press reports:
The first Sikh to go through U.S. Army basic combat training in 30 years is graduating at a South Carolina military installation, just hours after becoming an American citizen.
Spc. Simran Lamba was completing his training Wednesday at Fort Jackson outside Columbia. He was permitted to wear unshorn hair and a turban under a religious accommodation granted by the nation's largest military branch.
Army policies had effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984.
The Army has two Sikhs who became medical officers in recent years, but no Sikh has served in the enlisted ranks in decades.
Lamba was recruited under a special program seeking speakers of two languages in India, Hindi and Punjabi.
Comments
good thing religion will all be gone soon.
Posted by: mike jones | November 11, 2010 8:11 PM
Wow, this is a big step against prejudice. Hopefully we can repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" soon!
Posted by: Steve Randle | November 11, 2010 11:48 PM
Steve, maybe by this spring we'll see an Army recruiting booth at our annual Pride events!
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | November 12, 2010 10:05 AM
@Dana and Steve,
So ... you expect pigs to fly at the same time?
Posted by: BankStreet | November 14, 2010 10:27 AM
If Martin O'Malley can tell the Maryland Catholic Conference that he believes that civil unions are the way to go while telling Equality Maryland that he would sign a Marriage bill, and the LGBT community actually swallows his horse manure, then yes, pigs will fly.
They sure did on November 2nd.
Posted by: Dana | November 14, 2010 12:45 PM
Learn more about Sikh culture, faith & history @ http://www.AboutSikhs.com
Posted by: Rupin | December 8, 2010 7:23 AM